The Decemberists create their Own Reckoning
4 Out Of 5 Stars
After a discography laden with concept albums, song suites and journeys into progressive folk-rock, The Decemberists use "The King is Dead" to tighten things up and concentrate on songs. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable album that highlights their brightest components in a folk-rocking context. The tangled lyrics and thoughtful structure are all still their, just this time unencumbered by awkward or forced transitional periods.
The focus this time is on Americana; "The King is Dead" takes cues from Neil Young and The Byrds as well as early R.E.M. (Peter Buck is a guest on several songs here, as well). In fact, "The King is Dead" often sounds more like an R.E.M. album than "Collapse Into Know" does. Guest vocalist Gillian Welch adds terrific harmonies to such "Reckoning/Document" soundalikes as "Down By The Water" and "Rox In The Box." It also showcases multi-instrumentalist Chris Funk, who slides from everything from Pedal Steel to Bouzouki and reveals him as The Decemberists' secret weapon. It's Funk's instrumental work that gives vocalist and main writer Colin Meloy the wide variety of canvas that "The King Is Dead" paints its portrait of Americana on. In my opinion, their best offering to date.
And! They'll be back at this year's Newport Folk Festival! I took these pictures at the NFF's 50th, Summer of 2009:
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